WOW that is a nice size shop! I am looking forward to more videos on the shop projects! We have been shopping for a house for over a year & have finally found one but it has nothing for me to use as my woodshop! I currently have a basement shop that’s 24×40 & it’s really huge for me I couldn’t imagine any bigger. Anyway I will be looking at building a new woodshop for myself (yes I am a female woodworker) & you have given me lots of great ideas so far. I am an Artist & wood is my preference, everything I make is quite small (no furniture or anything that big) but I have lots of specialty tools for what I do as well! Thank you for sharing your ideas & all that you do. Keep up the great work!
“Your sales floor is a living, breathing entity that needs to change—frequently—in order to flourish. It’s the retailer’s job to make that happen. If your store is filled with the latest and greatest products, but your sales are in a rut, it could be because your customers are bored. They come to your store not just to buy; they come for ideas and inspiration. And they come to be entertained—even when they don’t buy anything, that experience is what brings them back.”

MPG: I'm going to be blunt and tell you that you're not going to find a campervan -- no matter how new or expensive -- that has great gas mileage. When you're driving your home, the miles per gallon are going to be lower than with a typical car. But it's good to ask the previous owner what type of mileage they were getting so you have an idea of what to expect. As a benchmark, our 1994 Chevy G20 got between 15 - 18 miles per gallon. Certainly not great, but there are worse out there.

For this reason, on-demand applications can get very time intensive. Consider building on an on-demand platform on both iOS and Android. A typical app on a single platform would require one experience to be designed. In the case of an on-demand app on two platforms, four would be required. That's one experience for each user in the system (i.e., two per platform) plus each platform (i.e., four in total). On-demand apps also often require a number of administrative interfaces. The only way to reduce the cost of an on-demand platform is to streamline the typical feature set included. For example, you could remove in-app payments or administrative interfaces while doing market validation.

If you are just getting started in woodworking and want to know what tools you’ll need to set up shop, you’ll want to download this free PDF from Popular Woodworking. We have put together a complete list of basic woodworking tools to kick-start your new hobby. In this free download, you’ll get our recommendations for the best hand and power tools for beginners. Buy these tools and you’ll have everything you need to make great woodworking projects.
We think that insulating your van’s floor is worth the minimal extra cost it adds to your build. The best floor insulation is ½” XPS foam board due to its high r-value per inch and its compressive strength. But a layer of Reflectix will add some insulation while taking away less headspace. We used Reflectix, but if we did it again we’d go with the foam board.
While we think a battery isolator and a 200-watt solar kit provide more than enough power for most vanlifers, some people may want additional ways to generate electricity and charge up their batteries. Especially if you’re planning on running power-hungry electronics like TVs and air conditioners, adding a generator and/or shore power hookups will help you deal with the extra load.
One of the most important and often overlooked first steps when starting a small business is preparing a business plan. Many entrepreneurs who hear this might panic. And while the value of writing a business plan is often debated, those who complete them are nearly twice as likely to successfully grow their businesses or obtain capital compared to those who don’t. More on this in part three of How to Start a Small Business 101, Components of a Business Plan.
Budget Toilet: Luggable Loo. With the Luggable Loo from Reliance Products, you can turn any 5-gallon bucket into a portable toilet for your van. Make sure to line your bucket with a trash bag or toilet waste bag - then once you’ve done your “doodie” just tie up the bag and dump it in the trash. Reliance also sells deodorant chemicals that will make it easier to live with your new roommate

First, try to remove all the extraneous household items that don’t facilitate making stuff. In a perfect world, you wouldn’t have to dig past kids bikes or empty luggage to get to your paint supplies. In the real world though, storage is hard to come by, so you’ll have to give a little to get a little. Consider a line of demarcation in your garage to separate “household” from “workshop.” If you don’t have enough room, consider a smaller-space workbench, or rent off-site storage. You could even build a shed for more covered storage.

Garage spaces are usually not insulated, and garage doors on most homes have very poor insulation. That means it’ll inevitably be super hot and stuffy in the summer, and freezing cold in the winter. To be comfortable in your workshop you’ll need to take the extra step to insulate your garage and set up some space heaters, and some portable floor or window AC units. Having to wear a heavy coat while you work will impede your DIY efforts and nobody likes working in a sauna.

Electricity was something we didn’t want to worry about at all in our van, so we went big from the beginning. We bought Renogy's 400-watt solar kit and two VMAX 155ah batteries. We mounted three of the panels on our van’s roof, and the fourth we attached to a folding stand made out of PVC so we could roll it out as needed. While the system works great and keeps us charged up, in hindsight it was a little bit of overkill - especially since we added a battery isolator.
So what’s the downside? Well, for starters, RV conversions aren’t exactly known for quality. Most manufacturers use cheap (i.e. shitty) materials, and just don’t build their vehicles to withstand the stresses of full time living. You’re also locked into a pre-designed layout, so it will be a lot more difficult to customize how everything functions.
If you have a broker that’s too successful you may be a low priority. If you choose a broker that’s inexperienced but attentive, you may end up paying for their novice mistakes. My advice is to not choose a broker but instead choose a team. Pick a junior/senior combo so that when you’re hunting for space you work more with the junior, and when it comes to negotiating the deal you have the experienced veteran leading the negotiation.”
Other important power tools—A good jigsaw will help get you through many tasks, particularly cutting curves, that would otherwise require a bandsaw. Look for one with blade guides that keep blade deflection to a minimum. A handheld drill is also essential. A quality corded drill is much less expensive than a cordless one, and will never leave you without a charge. Also look for a quality random-orbit sander with a provision for dust collection.

It is particularly important that you think about your customer’s experience holistically. Big-box retailers have long understood that people have five senses and that those senses affect decision making in a profound way. Whether it’s through intelligent lighting, the right music selection, or the careful piping in of a beautiful scent, smart retailers have learned the art of manipulating customer mood — whether they need you excited about a sale or relaxed and in the mood to hang around.

Amenities and Services – You’ll want to understand the full range of amenities offered by a commercial space. These amenities and services may include such things as communal rooms, free Wi-Fi, loading bays and docks, dining options, outdoor space, sewage and utilities, on-site security, and more. The zoning of your business will often dictate the type of amenities and services you require.
For small business owners, these tools present an incredible opportunity to set smarter business goals and easily identify some of the key factors of success and growth in their business. However, when you couple the breadth of technology options with decisions about basic store and restaurant equipment, such as espresso machines or air conditioning units, it can become a little overwhelming to figure out what is actually worth the investment.
Right before you start your small business, everyone has a dream setup for their small business in their head, along with a laundry list of amazing features. It’s probably large and full of natural light, opposite from a park, and filled with beautiful details like a long solid oak counter and a little bell over the door. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with these aspirations. In fact, it’s vital to have a clear vision of what you’re working towards. It can, however become a problem if you let the perfect business location become a barrier to opening your doors in the first place.

A good portable air conditioner will also remove excess water from the air, which is critical for keeping your stockpile of wood in good shape. Lumber should be stored in dry conditions so it doesn’t warp, so look for efficiency features that allow you to run the unit overnight in the summer as needed —without worrying about blowing up your electricity bills. Other good features to consider include a thermostat and variable settings that allow you to set your workshop temperature to the perfect level for your comfort.

Hey Joe, I just hit 178k on my truck. I remember when I started out the first time around it had like 144k or so. They are known to go quite far, so we’ll see how it goes. Maintenance on the road… I just stop at those oil lube places for the most part, and do regular weekly checks under the hood for fluid levels, etc. I’m not too mechanically inclined!

It’s tempting to place new products, hot items, and sale signage front-and-center so they’re the first things customers see upon entering. But don’t do this! The first few feet inside the door, say five feet for a small store, and 15 feet for a larger store, is known as the decompression zone. Store design experts strongly advise against cluttering up this space.
Small business owners can maintain steady, manageable growth by keeping a firm eye on costs and always aggressively looking for ways to increase sales and grow their brand. It can be difficult to empower staff and managers around you, especially if you’ve spent a long time steering the ship alone, but it is an essential part of successful expansion. Stay open to suggestions from your managers while making your current business best practices clear to them.

The router—The router is the master when it comes to flexibility. Its potential far exceeds trimming and decorative edge treatments. A router will cut mortises, rabbets, and dadoes, and adding a router table builds in even more versatility, including biscuit joinery and raised-panel doors. But where the router distinguishes itself from all other tools is in its ability to produce identical parts using a pattern.

Can you outfit your shop with all the necessary hand tools for just $100? Christopher Schwarz says you can, and he’ll show you how to do it in this article. Take Christopher’s shopping list to the flea market and come back with everything you need for less than you’d spend on one new hand plane. You can do all your woodworking with hand tools, and this article from Popular Woodworking will equip you with everything you need.
First things first, the machinery is going to do the bulk of your work. Hand tool purists may argue differently but how many machines do you have in your home to make things easier? The same should be true for your workshop. Yes, there may be moments when you take a deep breath at the initial investment but if you’re looking at woodworking as a prolonged pastime then the tools will last you for years to come. Plus you’re not buying everything at once. Start small and build up your collection.

In the summer months, your windows will be one of the primary ways that heat gets into your van. Because of its reflectivity, Reflectix works great as a window covering to reflect radiant heat away from your windows. And, if you’re concerned about height in your van, layering Reflectix under your subfloor is a good way to add a little insulation (R-1.1) without sacrificing headroom.

I will also typically secure those sorts of items under my locked platform if I am gone for a few days in the backcountry, because in reality I could probably care less if someone broke in and stole my box of food, versus someone who stole my clothes or expensive down jackets, which would be much more problematic (and costly) to replace on the road.
Starting your own small business can be an incredibly rewarding experience both personally and financially. However, like anything worthwhile, it takes a great deal of time and effort to be successful at it. Your results will depend on how much you are willing to apply yourself. The lessons in How to Start a Small Business 101 are designed to give you a leg up on the competition so you can hit the ground running. Now all you’ve got to do is bookmark this page, free up some time, grab a cup of coffee, and start making your way through each section.
We've also chronicled how Android and iOS have become more and more similar in their approaches. The "Android tax," as we've referred to it in the past, no longer exists. Generally, Android and iOS apps can now be built with the same quality, with comparable timelines, and budgets. While that doesn't necessarily mean we suggest building platforms in parallel, it's a huge relief for people creating apps.
When starting your small business, the easiest way to go about choosing a business name is to approach the task the same way you approach building new relationships. Did we lose you for a second? Here’s what we mean. It takes just one-tenth of a second for us to judge someone based on a first impression. There are endless relationships that instantly blossom or never get off the ground based off of this one simple fact. Most of us, even if it is on a subconscious level, understand this. Which is why when we meet someone that we are trying to impress, we make an attempt to adjust our appearance, body language, even the way we talk, to ensure we are putting our best foot forward.

There are many inexpensive alternatives lying around the house or at your local store you can use to create a Halloween theme that will impress all your friends.”One of the most popular party favors is a framed picture of the party guest taken at your kid’s party. He or she could be showing off a silly hat or party costume, performing an outrageous party game stunt, or wearing a face full of frosting and ice cream. Having party guests create their own make-and-take frame to display this memorable photo makes it an even greater treasure for the memory box. Start with a plain square of cardboard with an opening the size of your picture. When the decorating is done, Ultimate Small Shop Reviews simply glue the picture to the back of the frame. Why not turn that Cooking Interest, Comic Book Collecting, or Your Retro Clothing Collection Into A Home Based Business Venture! Most people enjoy hobbies they have pursued with great enthusiasm for years. Even though they may find their leisure activities fulfilling and enjoyable they never imagined making money with a fun hobby! Are you one of these gifted individuals? These talented individuals might have a passion for sewing fabulous original wardrobes, marvelous hand knitted items, furniture making, creative paintings, photographs, jewelry art, greeting card design, doll making, original toys, baby clothing, candle making, quilting, calligraphy, fancy soap making, about anything you can imagine! Crafting is actually a great way to start a home business on a shoestring. You might want to start on a small scale by offering your creative work to friends and family. Later on, once you have enough products, you might decide to rent a booth at local flea markets or crafts shows to display your work. As you may know, the Arts And Crafts Industry Is Enjoying An Amazingly Phenomenal Popularity. People are eager to purchase hand made clothing, furniture, custom made keepsakes or jewelry. If you have the creative talent this is one business you should consider! A friend, Joyce, diverted her obsession with candle making into a thriving business. She started by selling her hand made scented candles to friends and neighbors. Word of mouth spread about her candles. Soon she was receiving enough orders to keep her very busy. Joyce throws house parties to sell her candles and also takes custom orders from ads she runs in local newspapers. Next, she plans to take her candles to the stores and malls in her area.”Today is life – the only life you are sure of. Make the most of today. Get interested in something. Shake yourself awake. Develop a hobby. Let the winds of enthusiasm sweep through you. Live today with gusto.”Our hobbies help us to relax and forget our everyday problems and troubles. We are all experts in one or more fields of our lives. Ultimate Small Shop program But I am sure that not everyone has a hobby that makes money for him/her (except, of course, if you love your job).Just imagine, wouldn’t it be great if you could have money making hobby? You could get involved even more with what you already love to do, you could treat your family and friends with the extra cash, or… even quit your current job that you probably hate.

Shops have value on many different levels. There is the sat­isfaction of having a place to create and work on projects that is hard to quantify, but definitely improves your quality of life. There is the value to your small business of having space in which to work wood and thereby generate income. There is the dollar value of the build itself, which will be a consider­able investment and, finally, there is the resale value of your property after you’ve added your shop. Before you go too far, though, it’s worth asking a local real-estate agent about the potential return on your investment in your area; generally shops won’t add significantly to the value of your property, so it’s worth thinking carefully about what else the space could be used for if you were to sell. The decision about whether it is worth it to build is a matter of balancing all these factors: projected sales balanced against the cost; the cost of build­ing is balanced against what it will be worth when you sell. Woodworking can be a creative outlet, can give you a sense of mastery, and even be a way to give back to your community by donating beautiful pieces to local charities for fundraising auctions, or creating pieces that future gener­ations will inherit. Ultimately, the value of a shop might come down to the emotional and social returns that it will pay you and the people around you for years to come.

It’s important that you have a fundamental understanding of what is making your business successful before you decide to expand. Who are your customers and why do they enjoy what you offer? Who are your suppliers and will they be able to deliver to your new location? What are your operating costs and will they be the same in a new location? A lot of small businesses start off in the suburbs of a town before making the move to a city’s business district, only to find that unexpected additional costs are swallowing up their profits.
Let’s face it, one of the most significant costs of your shop will be its foundation. While you’re at it, what about adding space above your shop? There may be regulations preventing you from building living space above your shop if it is in an urban setting or in an outbuilding, but there may be some flex­ibility depending on where you live. It is in the municipality’s interests to encourage infill housing that uses existing infra­structure. At a minimum, think about including attic trusses to create some space above your shop for drying lumber or storing equipment. Access could be from simple pull-down attic stairs or from the exterior if you don’t want to lose floor space to a stair or ladder. If you’re creating an addition to your house, you may be able to add a couple of rooms you’ve always wanted, such as a family room, office or in-law suite.

I spent so much time building organizers and filling in just about every square inch on the inside of my shop that I feel it will be better to show some of those in separate Instructables. I made a couple of video tours to try to highlight some of the different aspects of my workshop. I hope you enjoy them and I will work on making my future videos more stable.

Let's talk about a few strategies for building out your shop below retail price. There are the obvious ones like yard sales, craigslist, estate sales, and thrift stores, however, these can be hit or miss. First of all, not everyone lives in an area where these avenues exist. Second, when your brand new to woodworking, it can be hard to evaluate a tool that your buying second hand. Because of this, I'm not going to focus on these channels in this post, but I will say, if your willing to do some hunting for second hand tools, you can easily save 50% to 75% on some perfectly fine equipment.

Sadly, that’s most of my power tools and shop accessories, but it’s a growing collection. Compared to all the money I’ve wasted on small electronics and computer junk in the past, I’d say this has been, and will continue to be, a much better investment. I just wish I had come to that realization back in college, when I was probably spending $500-$1000+ a year upgrading my computer.
We’ve been focused on the first category so far, but there is also an allure to buying an existing business. These enterprises will often come with brand awareness, a customer base, trained employees, an established supply chain, and most importantly (we hope), demonstrated profitability. As a result, countless startup risks can be diminished by taking this route. That is only true, however, if you make sure to carry out thorough due diligence on the existing business.
However, since you may not have "aisles" per say in your store, it's still important to think about grouping products in a way that makes sense from a shopper's perspective. Also, remember to keep "higher-demand" products displayed at eye-level while placing lower-grossing products at the bottom or above eye level. Lastly, It's recommended that you change up these speed bumps weekly or regularly enough to create a continued sense of novelty for repeat visitors.
I spent so much time building organizers and filling in just about every square inch on the inside of my shop that I feel it will be better to show some of those in separate Instructables. I made a couple of video tours to try to highlight some of the different aspects of my workshop. I hope you enjoy them and I will work on making my future videos more stable.

Right before you start your small business, everyone has a dream setup for their small business in their head, along with a laundry list of amazing features. It’s probably large and full of natural light, opposite from a park, and filled with beautiful details like a long solid oak counter and a little bell over the door. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with these aspirations. In fact, it’s vital to have a clear vision of what you’re working towards. It can, however become a problem if you let the perfect business location become a barrier to opening your doors in the first place.

Yeah, ventilation can definitely be a problem… I’ve just got one window with a screen on it if bugs are an issue–though I haven’t camped in too many areas where they are truly horrendous. Normally I just sleep with the windows/door open to let airflow. I’ve seen some more industrious folks even put in the rooftop fans on their truck camping rigs. Pretty elaborate and beyond my pay grade, but worth searching expedition portal. I like the mesh fly idea if I happen to travel to buggy areas again. Cheers!

The Best Prices for Tools – Ralph shows you where to get the beast deals for the tools and equipment you need. You could buy them yourself from popular outlets like Home Depot, Lowe’s, and Amazon, but the Ultimate Small Shop guide shows you where to get these tools and equipment at cheaper prices. Of course, cheaper isn’t always better. These aren’t just cheap tools that are ineffective. Just good value for money on good tools.

Ok, the leap from $1,000 to $2,500 is a big one. I certainly didn't make it at one time. It took me years. But I know folks that decided they wanted to get into woodworking and dropped at least $2,500 getting themselves outfitted. When you do make the jump, the thought process becomes much less about making sure you can get the job done and becomes more about having quality tools to get the job done.
Great video Marc. I know I’m not the first to bring up the reverb in the shop. However I don’t think addition of rubber floor and cabinets will change this much. Furthermore, sound panels look very clunky in my opinion too, but may be necessary above some machines? Materials like drapes and carpet strategically placed can also do wonders, but I don’t know how practical that would be in a wood shop.
Now this Super Pencil from C.H. Hanson does all of that and more. The entire pencil is made from a non toxic graphite composition so the whole thing is a writing surface with no wood around it to shave away. Super pencil marks are water and smudge resistant and because the composite is so durable it never needs sharpening even when you use it on rough materials like concrete.

Conversion vans have some pretty sweet built-in amenities, including high-tops for extra headroom. Many have comfy captain chairs, leather seats, mood lighting, TV/VCR, and a rear bench seat that folds down into a bed. If you’re not picky about your living situation, this could be all you need to get started. And if you gut it and customize it yourself, the high top offers tons of great storage options that other vans just don’t have.

You see, everyone can make money with his/her hobby, and I am going to reveal it to you in a minute… Ultimate Small Shop Ebook Download There are millions of people who have the same hobbies and interests just like you. Everyone is searching for more information about their hobbies and passions. Take a guess – what is the best place to find the information today? I think you will agree that the World Wide Web (the Internet) is one of the best places on the Earth to look for information related to your hobby. Millions of people use the Internet to find the answers to the questions they have, to solve the problems they encounter every day. So, how could you make money with your hobby? It’s simple – build your own web site (online business) about your hobby. Ken Evoy, internationally acclaimed Internet marketer, developed a system – SiteBuildIt! (SBI!) – that helps anyone to create professional websites about his/her hobbies, interests and passions. Hundreds (maybe even thousands) of SBI! users have already quit their jobs and now are making a living from the comfort of their own homes, doing what they love – creating web content about their hobbies. Each web site built by SBI! is search engine optimized. It means that when you build your own web site with the SBI! tools, the traffic to your web pages is guaranteed through search engines. And it doesn’t matter what your hobby is – Ken takes you by hand and explains how you can make money from the traffic received to your web site. What matters is – you create information-rich content pages about what you know and love – about your hobby! Ultimate Small Shop discount If you think that you cannot write web content – forget it, you can! – SBI! will guide you step-by-step from developing your web site’s concept to brainstorming hundreds of profitable related keywords; building a themed web site; generating motivated, targeted search engine traffic that wants to click on your recommendations, links to the related products sold by merchants that you will represent. Note that this is not a “get rich quick” scheme. It will require lots of your energy, work and time. The bottom line is that you will have a hobby that makes money for you!I’ve always liked to make gadgets and gizmos that have some function, either useful or not so useful. It started with the simple things that many kids make – slingshots, a simple bow, and arrow, a toy boat. Occasionally I made more involved items such as a canoe and a dune buggy. Then there was the grass hut – 12 feet across, octagonal in shape, and thatched top to bottom with a thick layer of grass. I built it in a remote location, near a strip mine filled with water. Hauled the cut grass in a 1972 Volkswagon convertible with the top down. Piled the grass high in the back seat. It must have taken a dozen trips back and forth from a nearby hay field. Simple things appeal to me more than costly homemade items. A small project lets me pursue an interest without interfering with other goals. Ultimate Small Shop Tips A project with a small amount of time invested seems more like entertainment.
We cut the supports 16 in. long, but you can place the second shelf at whatever height you like. Screw the end supports to the walls at each end. Use drywall anchors if you can’t hit a stud. Then mark the position of the middle supports onto the top and bottom shelves with a square and drill 5/32-in. clearance holes through the shelves. Drive 1-5/8-in. screws through the shelf into the supports. You can apply this same concept to garage storage. See how to build double-decker garage storage shelves here.

By building your own workshop machines and jigs, you can create customized tools that include all of your favorite and much-needed features for less than half the cost of commercial tools (plus, get bragging rights for having the coolest woodworking shop in town). All you will need is a drill press, table saw, some common tools, and patience. Then, you can start following these step-by-step instructions to create homemade machines such as a sliding-top router table, jigsaw, downdraft dust collection table, a 24” band saw and more!

I’ll throw this suggestion out to you too – while a warm sleeping bag would be a good start, maybe a couple sheets of plywood to put over the truck bed with a tarp over that would provide you some extra protection from rain/snow and also trap in some body heat. You wouldn’t have to make them permanent and could just slide the wood into the bed when not sleeping under it. A cheap bivy as Ryan suggested would also be a good consideration and a quality sleeping pad to provide some warm rating and comfort from the truck bed.

However, Sprinters are a lot more expensive than other options. It can be tough to find anything reasonably priced with less than 200,000 miles. For the Mercedes Sprinters, parts are more expensive and it may be difficult to find mechanics that have experience working on them (this is less of an issue with Transits and Promasters). And, since these are complex vehicles, they don’t lend quite as well to tinkering as something classic like a VW Vanagon or old Ford Econoline.

Hello! My name is Donna Jean. I love to read books and my job is to write a daily review of all the novelties in the world of eBooks. I allow only the best of them to be published on my website. I really hope to make our world more bright, beautiful and kind. You can participate by downloading any book from my site, and you will receive health, luck, kindness, and love, which will support you during all your life. Wishing your dreams begin to come true, and every tomorrow be happy for you. Thank you! ❤❤❤